The Jamaican government has introduced a bill to remove King Charles as the head of state and turn Jamaica into a republic. Since Jamaica gained independence from Britain in 1962, the British monarch has been the ceremonial head of state, represented by a governor general. If the bill is passed, a Jamaican president will take over as the ceremonial leader.
Marlene Malahoo Forte, Jamaica’s Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, introduced the bill in parliament, explaining it is a response to Jamaicans asking for a change in the constitution. Every year, during independence celebrations on August 6, people ask when Jamaica will get rid of the monarchy and have a Jamaican head of state.
The bill also includes changes to Jamaican citizenship laws and political structure, such as expanding the senate with senators who are not appointed by political parties. The bill still has to go through several stages before it can become law, including committee reviews, a vote in parliament, and a national referendum. It may face challenges, especially from opposition parties, who are concerned about the timing of the bill before next year’s elections and the lack of a plan to replace the Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice as Jamaica’s highest court.
Senator Donna Scott-Mottley, from the opposition party, said Jamaica can’t be fully free until it no longer uses the Privy Council, which is based in the UK. She added that the opposition is willing to work with the government to move the country closer to full independence.
In Kingston, some people support the idea of removing the monarchy, saying Jamaica doesn’t benefit from having the British monarch as the head of state. However, others feel the country needs to fix internal issues, like corruption, before making this change.
